View allAll Photos Tagged Leveler
photo and editing by Danny "MushroomBrain" Hennesy
I remember this old fire station from my very early childhood, we often biked past it, me often on the child’s seat on the back of the bike…
peace and noise!
Snowy night on the Lower East Side.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
MUCH BETTER seen on BLACK or in LARGE size.
BAUTA: "The Bauta is to be considered the traditional venitian mask, the one mostly used to cover your features, made in a way that it is still possible to eat and drink without having to take it off.
The Bauta is always white, and it is not only a Carnival mask, in the sense in those times it could also be used all year long, to protect one's identity. It consisted not only of the mask covering the face, but the finely woven lace, and the black hat with three tips (tricorno).
The name bauta does not have up to now, a definite interpretation: it may came from the German "behüten"(to protect), as well as from "bau" (or "babau"), typical Italian representation of the monster, or bad beast, used by adults to scare children:
"Se non stai bravo viene il babau e ti porta via …
(if you do not behave, the babau will come over and take you away …)"
In a way, the Bauta was some kind of a social leveler. All ages, all social statuses could get together, all of them wearing a mask and concealing their true identity.
It was mandatory all year long for women who went to the theater and forbidden to girls waiting to be married.
Light and "confortable", because of the narrow nose, the mask sort of modifies the voice pitch, and of course romantic encounters were a lot simplified, this way …"
www.delpiano.com/carnival/html/bauta.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_mask
Second Life - Venexia
Capacité de la décapeuse : 28,28 m³
Travaux de terrassement de la tranche 3 de ZAC Europôle 2 de la Communauté d'Agglomération Sarreguemines visant à créer 3 plateformes pour un total de 234 915 m².
Pays : France 🇫🇷
Région : Grand Est (Lorraine)
Département : Moselle (57)
Ville : Hambach (57910)
Adresse : ZAC Europôle 2
Construction : Avril 2025 → Novembre 2025
at Durham City
this weir system was built
to alter the level and speed of the river
to save a lot of flooding in normal conditions
which got even worse in bad weather ,,,,
the Cathedral and Castle in the background
to my right in this picture is a little more of the systems
levelers ,,,
,,,
You have been sent 1 picture.
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Snowy night on an East Village street.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
A stereographic projection of the first equirectangular panorama taken with my 5Dmkii, 15-35mm L lens and new Nodal Ninja 5 with R-D12 Rotator and EZ-Leveler 2.
I did make the mistake of shooting this panorama at f/2.8. I'm a little rusty I guess! I also only stitched this at 6000x3000 pix so I didn't really take advantage of the 21mp sensor this time.
The Nodal Ninja is by far the best panoramic tripod head out there. It is lightweight, sturdy, easy to use, compact, and best of all- affordable. Whether you are just getting into panoramic photography, or are a seasoned pro with a big heavy camera and lenses, Nodal Ninja has a panoramic tripod head to fit your skill level and your budget.
Am I a good little ambassador or what? :)
Winter night in Times Square.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
July 1, 2018 - Geitafoss Waterfall is just downstream from Goðafoss Waterfall it is located on the Skjálfandafljót river in the Bárðardalur district of the northeast region of Iceland.
I bought a new tripod before the trip and hauled it to get great motion shots of waterfalls, however I forgot to turn my lens stabilization off so I wasn't happy with my resulting photographs. I also lost one of the leveler glides!
Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming
USA
I call this machine a road leveler even though that is not it's actual name. It is used in the park to even out the snow on the top of the road not to shovel it off the road. Notice all of the snow on the road (which is totally invisible).
Two other images are seen in the first comment section.
Winter night i the East Village.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
"If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of introspection." --Patrick Rothfuss
An ex boyfriend of mine once asked for a second chance. We parted ways and eventually became amicable towards eachother (or so I hope.) When I declined, I told him that he was too late, that I had moved on, and that despite the fact that it was appealing going back to him, doing so would mean that I was moving backwards. That was not a concept he understood, nor did I care to elaborate for fear of offending him.
The most important, recurring, and repetitive theme in my life is the desire to move forward, to grow, and to evolve. I constantly try to learn, to grow, to improve. Though it's not like a daily ritual, it is an overarching theme. I am constantly frustrated at myself for not being better, but I am better than I was a year, six months, even two weeks ago.
And while growth is the most important thing to me, I have a constant fear of... well, lots of things. Of being scared and alone and no one to embrace me. Of being lost in a place and not knowing the language. Of failure. Of not having the comforts I have grown accustomed to. Of having to ask my dad, yet again, for some money.
This isn't a formal essay or a published work of writing. So I'm not going to give a satisfying conclusion, or a call to action, or even advice to others. I hope all this made sense, and to anyone who is still reading this: These are the things that drive me. I guess you know a little more about me. (:
Taken in the Blue Ash suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio.
They have been working on this small section of road for over a year and still aren't done. They built two roundabouts, but I'm not sure what they are doing right hear although it looks like they are close to paving. The biggest reason for the delay in completion has likely been that they have maintained traffic in this heavily used area.
This machine was parked just down the street for awhile in a place where getting a shot would have been tougher than where I took this shot. When we saw it here on the weekend when traffic was low, I thought I could risk trying to get a shot, so parked and then walked a bit of a distance to take it. I would have preferred to have been on the other side of the street to get shoot, but it was not to be. Maybe I'll get another chance this coming weekend.
Thought I'd share what I usually have with me when I venture out to get some shots of the Carolinas
• RED LED Flashlight for astrophotography
• Headlamp (w/red LED)
• UV LED Flashlight
• Lensatic Compass to avoid getting lost
• Leatherman Wave
• Allen Wrench Key
• Zippo Hand Warmer
• Triple Torch
• TekFire Lighter
• Extra Batteries (AA's, AAA's, Camera Batteries
• Canon EOS 80D with spare battery grip
• Gimbal Head
• Nodal Slide
• Neewer Tripod Leveler
• Neewer Carbon Fiber Tripod
• Minolta flash meter
• Lenses
○ Sigma 18-35 Art
○ Canon TS 24mm F3.5L
○ Canon 70-200 F4L
○ Canon EF 50mm F1.8 STM
○ Canon-EF-s 10-18mm
○ Canon-EF-s 24mm
○ Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro
• Filters
○ Hoya DMC Pro1 Circular Polarizer
○ Hoya Red Enhancer
○ Singh Ray Warming Polarizer
○ Singh Ray Gold-n-Blue Polarizer
○ Zomei 10-Stop ND Filter
Sitting. The great leveler. From the mightiest Pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?
Winter night in midtown Manhattan.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
Happy Saturday Levelers!! We are bringing you some dope tunes to get you moving and feeling good! Join us: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20City/225/238/3002?fb...
Shot on location as part of the photowalk series near Roggenbeuren, Germany.
Film: Fuji Acros 100
Camera: Hasselblad FlexBody CP
Head: Arca-Swiss Core Leveler 75
Tripod: Gitzo GT3532LS
Filter: LEE Wide-Angle Hood, LEE No. 8
Meter: Sekonic L-508
Scan: SilverFast Ai 8 Studio
Bag: Wotancraft Shadow Warrior
Shot on location as part of the photowalk series near river Argen, Germany.
Camera: Hasselblad FlexBody CP
Film: Fuji Acros 100
Head: Arca-Swiss Core Leveler 75
Tripod: Gitzo GT3532LS
Meter: Sekonic L-508
Scan: SilverFast Ai Studio
Bag: Wotancraft Shadow Warrior
I guess I'm due to post a photo. I have been too busy this week to do much in the way of photography. I am heading out in the motorhome in a few days on this year's big roadtrip. This week I have been insanely busy working on the motorhome. There is a lot of maintenance involved with these things. My leveler jacks were leaking oil, I had to pull them off and have them rebuilt. My parking brake is STILL not working, just to name a few projects I've been working on. That and the routine crap. Oil changes on the motorhome and my truck. New filters. Check and top off all the fluids, etc, etc, etc...
So anyway... I shot this a couple months ago along the Bush Highway, back when things were green and beautiful around here. At the time, I was thinking that in another week or two all the flowers would be blooming. NOT! Unfortunately, about a week after I shot this, everything suddenly died and turned completely brown. Bummer!
Capacité de la décapeuse : 28,28 m³
Travaux de terrassement de la tranche 3 de ZAC Europôle 2 de la Communauté d'Agglomération Sarreguemines visant à créer 3 plateformes pour un total de 234 915 m².
Pays : France 🇫🇷
Région : Grand Est (Lorraine)
Département : Moselle (57)
Ville : Hambach (57910)
Adresse : ZAC Europôle 2
Construction : Avril 2025 → Novembre 2025
Father Duffy Square on a winter night.
Camera: Sony a99
---
We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
---
I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
--
View my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
Interested in my work and have questions about PR and media? Check out my:
About Page | PR Page | Media Page
To use any of my photos commercially, feel free to contact me via email at photos@nythroughthelens.com
Manfrotto geared head for most of my work and Nodal Ninja III MK II with EZ Leveler for Panos...a great combo!!!!
Rovingian Council - The Shadows Festival - The Silence of Dawn - The Bridge of Ascension by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)
The Shadows Festival - The Silence of Dawn - The Bridge of Ascension
The Festival of Shadows at the Rovingian Council thus portrays a balanced celebration between the solemnity of the sacred and the warmth of fraternity. The event's structure uses sensory elements—sound, fire, and taste—to dissolve traditional traditions and foster genuine unity.
Here are some reflections on how to enhance the atmosphere and symbolism of this gathering, while respecting the described ethics and aesthetics:
1. The Alchemy of Fire: Legacy and Vision
The act of burning herbs and resins together is the focal point of the end of the day on November 28th and the beginning of the evening. To strengthen the symbolism that knowledge (masters) and new energy (initiates) burn with the same intensity, they may consider:
The Mixture: Creating a mixture of herbs where the oldest resins (such as Frankincense or Myrrh) represent legacy, and fast-growing, vibrant herbs (such as Sage, Juniper or Rosemary) represent a new vision.
The Gesture: The simultaneous throwing of herbs into the fire serves as a spiritual leveler, where the rising smoke is indistinguishable, symbolizing the unity of the Council.
2. Soundscape: From Ritual to Dialogue
The transition between organic and electronic/contemporary sound is crucial to maintaining tradition:
Initial Phase: Shamanic drums and Tibetan bowls cleanse the vibrational field and induce alpha states of consciousness, ideal for introspection.
Social Phase: The use of Dark Ambient or contemporary ritualistic music keeps the mind in a state of "meditative alertness," preventing the dialogue from becoming mundane or superficial.
3. The Gastronomy of Clarity
The Council's rules of moderation are wise. To ensure that liqueurs and infusions facilitate openness without influencing judgment:
Noble Infusions: Use of plants that promote mental clarity and communication, such as Ginga or Peppermint infusions with Goji Berries.
Herbal Liqueurs: Served in small quantities, they function as symbolic "social lubricants," celebrating the earth and the manual labor of the Council.
4. The Sunrise: The Bridge of Ascension
The final tribute to the masters and brothers who have "ascended" is the perfect closing to the bridge between the past and the future. The Rounded Pebbles, the shape without beginning or end, represent the eternal cycle of life and the interconnectedness of all things, but also represent the balance between the inner and outer world. In Rovingian mysticism, they are also a symbol of tribute to those who have passed...
The Silence of Dawn: After a night of music and dialogue, the absolute silence as the sun rises can be the most meaningful moment, allowing the energy generated during the festival to be internalized by each member.
This transitional structure from November 28th to November 29th is an excellent anchoring point for the Council, preparing the spirit for the winter months with a clear vision and a strengthened legacy.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
O Festival das Sombras no Conselho Rovingiano retrata assim uma celebração equilibrada entre a solenidade do sagrado e a calidez da fraternidade. A estrutura do evento utiliza elementos sensoriais — o som, o fogo e o paladar — para dissolver as tradições tradicionais e promover uma união genuína.
Eis algumas reflexões sobre como potenciar a atmosfera e o simbolismo deste encontro, respeitando a ética e a estética descritas:
1. A Alquimia do Fogo: Legado e Visão
O ato de queima de ervas e resinas em conjunto é o ponto fulcral do final do dia 28 de Novemro e início da noite. Para fortalecer o simbolismo de que o conhecimento (mestres) e a energia nova (iniciados) ardem com a mesma intensidade, podem considerar:
A Mistura: Criar uma mistura de ervas onde as resinas mais antigas (como o Olíbano ou Mirra) representam o legado, e ervas de crescimento rápido e vibrante (como a Sálvia, Zimbro ou Alecrim) representam uma visão nova.
O Gesto: O lançamento simultâneo das ervas para o fogo serve como nivelador espiritual, onde o fumo que sobe é indistinguível, simbolizando a unidade do Conselho.
2. Paisagem Sonora: Do Ritual ao Diálogo
A transição entre o som orgânico e o eletrónico/contemporâneo é crucial para manter a tradição:
Fase Inicial: Os tambores xamânicos e as taças tibetanas limpam o campo vibracional e induzem estados de consciência alfa, ideais para a introspeção.
Fase Social: O uso de Dark Ambient ou música ritualística contemporânea ou mais atmosférica mantém a mente num estado de "alerta meditativo", impedindo que o diálogo se torne mundano ou superficial.
3. A Gastronomia da Clareza
As regras de moderação do Conselho são sábias. Para garantir que os licores e as infusões facilitam a abertura sem toldar o julgamento:
Infusões Nobres: Utilização de plantas que promovem a clareza mental e a comunicação, como a Ginga ou infusões de Hortelã-Pimenta com Bagas de Goji.
Licores de Ervas: Servidos em pequenas quantidades, funcionam como "lubrificantes sociais" simbólicos, celebrando a terra e o trabalho manual do Conselho.
4. O Nascer do Sol: A Ponte da Ascensão
A homenagem final aos mestres e irmãos que "ascenderam" é o fecho perfeito para a ponte entre o passado e o futuro. Os Seixos Arredondados são a forma sem início nem fim representa o ciclo eterno da vida e a interligação de todas as coisas, mas também representam o equilíbrio entre o mundo interno e externo. Na mística Rovingiana são igualmente um símbolo de tributo aos que partiram...
O Silêncio do Alvorecer: Após uma noite de música e diálogo, o silêncio absoluto enquanto o sol nasce pode ser o momento mais carregado de significado, permitindo que a energia gerada durante o festival seja interiorizada por cada membro.
Esta estrutura de passagem de 28 de Novembro para 29 de Novembro é um excelente ponto de ancoragem para o Concelho, preparando o espírito para os meses de Inverno com uma visão clara e um legado reforçado.
A member of the species known as the Nameless, these creatures appear in the High Republic era of Star Wars. I have been wanting to make one for a while, and I’m happy with how it turned out!
Also featuring an unfortunate Jedi.
Capacité de la décapeuse : 28,28 m³
Travaux de terrassement de la tranche 3 de ZAC Europôle 2 de la Communauté d'Agglomération Sarreguemines visant à créer 3 plateformes pour un total de 234 915 m².
Pays : France 🇫🇷
Région : Grand Est (Lorraine)
Département : Moselle (57)
Ville : Hambach (57910)
Adresse : ZAC Europôle 2
Construction : Avril 2025 → Novembre 2025
Panorama using two different frames with two exposures each frame. An ambient exposure and an overexposure. Painted in some light from the over. Used a Nodal Ninja w/ an EZ Leveler and had the camera as high as it would go on my tripod.
This is the first time I attempt to do this light painting photography. This hour is when everything went pitch dark, you could hardly notice any crap infront of you as well. But I never know it was so much fun to do this.
How was this shot made:
1.Position my tripod as middle as I could to make this shot as symmetry as possible.
2. Use my little green leveler to check the balance of the horizon.
3. Use my LED flash light (from CtLetrik, Alor Star^^) to light up the middle of the bridge so my camera can focus.
4. Camera setting is Aperture Priority Mode, Auto WB,f/4.5, Iso 250 and 30 sec exposure.
5. During the 30 sec exposure, paint the bridge with my cool tone LED light with a warmer tone torch. Mix it up and the artificial lighting is created.
6. DON`T ASK ME WHY THE COLOR OF THE SEA IS GREEN...
Shot on location as part of the photowalk series in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Post-processing done in Capture One 20.
Head: Arca-Swiss Core Leveler 75
Tripod: Gitzo GT3532LS
Film: Kodak Tri-X 400
Lab: blow-up Fotolabor
Press 'L' for fullscreen view.
An excursion with Simon to try out my Sunwayfoto leveler and Sirui KX-20 ball head...both worked like a charm...
...Simple Plan
I went out shooting last night by myself and ended up by the Adler Planetarium as the sun was going down. When I first got there, I walked along the north side of the planetarium and ran into some people from a photography club who were very nice. They were setting up their tripods, planning to do panos of the skyline. Several of them had these cool little levelers that I just added to my Amazon wish list for when I need to get my order up to $25 for free shipping! ;) Since they were waiting for the sun to go down to really get started, and I hadn't walked around the planetarium in years, I packed up my things and headed off.
It's an eastern view out to the lake, but the setting sun spread its warm colors around and I got some shots of a beautiful sailboat as it was slowly and gracefully heading south. As I headed around to the south side of the building, there is a small inlet and beach. These two kids had just gotten in the water and they walked out to where you see them here. The air was very chilly, I was wearing gloves and a warm jacket and could hardly stand the thought of how cold I would be if I were them. They were throwing rocks out into the lake and I kept shooting and waited for them to do something that would look nice in silhouette. I finally got tired of waiting for them and I shouted out to them and asked if they would hold hands for a picture! Luckily they obliged for a minute while I got off a few quick shots. I don't think that they were boyfriend and girlfriend and, rather, just friends. I thanked them when they got our of the water and showed them the shots.
I made my way back around to the people from the photo club that I had met earlier and setup again. I don't think I got any shots to be excited about. I also discovered that my sensor is incredibly dirty and the muck is just further enhanced when doing long exposure. As soon as it got so dark that long expo was my only option, I headed home for the night.
Special shout-out to Flickr_Rick. I got to talk to him yesterday as we are trying to resolve our issues with our Pocket Wizards. It was great to talk to you, Rick! Thanks for including me trying to resolve this, it's been a thorn in my side since last year when I got them!
Since it's Sliders Sunday, I played around with this shot both in Lightroom and CS5 until I got it just so! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, it'll be Monday morning before we know it! HSS!!
A member of the species known as the Nameless, these creatures appear in the High Republic era of Star Wars. I have been wanting to make one for a while, and I’m happy with how it turned out!
Vanitas Symbolism
A vanitas still-life painting or photograph represents an old genre that goes back at least to the 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painters (with some notable contributions as well from the Spanish). It’s moralistic through and through, its message deriving ultimately from passages in the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments, stressing the fragility and impermanence of life and life’s pleasures both intellectual, cultural, hedonistic, and artistic. From the Hebrew Bible: “Vanity of vanity, saith the preacher; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12: 8). From the Gospel of Matthew: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (6: 19-20). I hasten to add that I am not a religious person—but I find the vanitas genre fascinating. I tried to represent as many vanitas symbols as I could. What follows, for those academically inclined, is a brief explanation of the 5 categories covering the typical icons.
Category 1: Items representing hedonistic indulgence
- musical instruments: the gold clock behind, left, shows a woman playing a lute. Here, the green Russian balalaika is meant to stand in for the stringed instrument that (I presume) would have been readily available during the European Renaissance.
- alcohol and wine goblets: I have two decanters, one with orange liqueur, the other with what seems to be red wine to the left of the half full (or half empty) wine glass. That decanters and glass aren’t full symbolizes how quickly life’s pleasures disappear (see also Category 2).
- food: the limes and the lemon in the glass bowl to the left. The lemon especially is understood to be beautiful to the sight and smell but bitter, just like life can be.
- combs and mirrors symbolize narcissism, our infatuation with personal beauty (our vanity). We have a mirror, difficult to see, laying on its side just beside the fruit.
- objects of art: paintings, busts, statues, and the like. Here we have two paint brushes and a bust (of the ancient Greek poet Homer).
- jewelry: I meant to put some gold rings in there but I forgot. We do have what appears to be a heart-shaped blue diamond and, yes, it’s a replica of the Heart of the Ocean, the famous stone in Titanic and which I purchased for my wife (“she who must be obeyed”) at the Titanic exhibit in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, when I was there a few years ago.
- perfume: we have two small bottles beside the mirror
- items of revelry or sinful living are represented here by dice and playing cards. Four of the five cards have an added, more modern, symbolic significance: two black aces and two black 8s comprise the famous Dead Man’s Hand, allegedly held by American gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot down while playing poker. The mask—I can’t pretend to have seen one in a classic vanitas painting—was my idea as another symbol of revelry and reminds me of Poe’s story “The Masque of the Red Death,” which is a vanitas painting in prose.
- expensive items (“conspicuous consumption”) are represented here by the exotic red rug. Though we can barely see it, it’s a prized possession of mine all the way from Turkey.
- seashells are exotic and hard to acquire (see bottom left)
- a terrestrial globe, such as we see on the far left, back, is a meta-symbol of the world’s wealth and vanity (and is made, in this case, of semi-precious stones)
Category 2: Items representing life’s transitory nature and the decay of all earthly things
- music and instruments, while Cat. 1, also belong to Cat. 2 because music is transitory
- coins, as represented here by silver and gold pieces, are also transitory, never staying with us but moving from hand to hand
- bubbles, smoke, candles, butterflies: flame from candles eventually expires, as do we; its smoke recalls Psalm 102:3: “For my days are consumed like smoke.” Bubbles, like life itself, are short-lived, fragile and easily broken; butterflies are beautiful but fragile and easily killed.
- flowers symbolize beauty and so might belong to Cat. 1 but they are short-lived and soon wilt and die, as the photo’s Calla Lilies will. The Book of Job may have provided the inspiration: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days. . . . He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down” (14: 1-2).
- clocks, watches, hour-glasses are centrally significant because they measure and record time passing: with every second, we move closer to death. Here we have three kinds of time pieces: a sand-clock, a normal clock, and a little pocket watch in front of the books. This photo is a 30-second time-exposure: you can actually see the sliver of sand running from the top to the bottom of the sand-clock.
- the skull is the central symbol in a vanitas illustration, symbolizing our inescapable death and decay. We’s all gonna die!
Category 3: Items representing human achievement and culture
- books, for instance, represent the delights of reading. They also contain human knowledge but it’s only of this world, typically, and won’t endure. (Note that one of the two books is a collection of Poe’s works: he illustrates vanitas themes in “The Masque of the Red Death” and a few other tales.)
- writing instruments are related to books and we have a gold pen on top of the Poe edition—but, again, pens record and therefore symbolize human knowledge and culture, which won’t last as this world will eventually come to an end. Human strivings, achievements, and culture are futile and impermanent.
- weapons and armor are products of human culture as well (military culture), but even these can’t protect us from death. The knight’s helmet on the far right is here to remind us of that grim truth. Death is a great leveler: even the wealthiest and most powerful among us will come to the same end as the poorest and weakest.
Category 4: Items representing the permanent in the Christian context
- religious icons such as crucifixes, rosaries, angels, saints, certain types of flora (carnations, ivy, wheat, laurel): these remind us of or symbolize life after death—in other words, what’s truly important. Life in Heaven is eternal as opposed to the transient pleasures of Earth, which we should scorn. I have none of these symbols here because I don’t swing that way, baby. Not all vanitas paintings, even the classic ones, contain religious images.
Category 5: Written messages to clarify the moralistic meaning of the illustration
- for those viewers who can’t figure it out on their own, some painters provide messages, typically in Latin, explaining it all with well-known epigrams or quotes from the Bible. I have provided perhaps the most famous: Vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas. “Vanity of vanity, all is vanity.”
In some respects I prefer this to one I posted a few years ago because this one has a dark backdrop, which reinforces the somber mood and meaning of the classic vanitas painting.
“The room itself is in messy disorder. On the table is a dish of fruit, which is real but appears artificial. Around it are grouped an ominous assortment of decanters, glasses, and heaped ash-trays, the latter still raising wavy smoke-ladders into the stale air—the effect on the whole needing but a skull to resemble that venerable chromo, once a fixture in every ‘den,’ which presents the appendages to the life of pleasure with delightful and awe-inspiring sentiment.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned)
This is my toolset for working documenary making. What you dont see are my two Abrahamsson Rapid Winders; mkI and mkII, these devices permit me to maintain full eye to VF contact at all times when using the cameras; focus, advance, aperture with the left hand and release with the right hand, and these M6's are manual cameras so the whole package works without power. Three small hip-flask shaped boxes which hold six rolls of film each, a 12" reflector which works well withthe flash for those times I have to use it, some cables for the recorder, my notebook, batteries, lens-caps, domke wraps, and my trusty Domke 803 Black canvas bag which looks nothing like what its carrying.
What you do see here is two Leica M6's the Chrome ones is a TTL version and that has the color film in it. An Elmarit-M ASPH 24mm f2.8, a Summilux-M 35mm f1.4, a Super-Wide-Heliar 15mm f4.5 with a double shoe adapter with the viewfinder and leveler, -I generally dont like to use VF's but for this lens its pretty important. A Gossen Digi-flash meter which is for backup -this is an outstanding meter for its size. A Sony PCM-D50 Linear recorder, this device is responsible for me getting into actually making documentaries again soon I will add to it with a rather expensive Sennheiser rifle-mic for more specific recording. And lastly my Olympus RC-35 which is home to my Voigtlander spot meter, the lens on this diminuitive camera is simply -off the charts- in terms of how it renders contrast tonality and dimensionality. I used to have Canonet QL17 GIII's which are the king of fixed lens era Rangefinders, but this thing is more pocketable, and at two stops slower, is still worth having because of that lens.
My prefferred methodology is analogue because it is infinitely more archivable. The PCM-D50 is the link breaker because it is digital and that is simply because for what you get in a $500 box is simply not available quality-wise on previous generation Professional grade cassette recorders.
I am currently in the research stage of a new work, something which I didnt do the first time and realize that research is for the most part, the biggest part of the whole process..
So here it is...
My campsite. Until about an hour ago.
This morning when I got up, there was a moat of water around my campsite. I had to jump over it to get to the road. Then it started raining. And raining, and raining, and raining, and raining... And. The moat started filling up my campsite.
Sometime this afternoon a guy from the campground knocked on my door and said he had to shut off the power as the electrical outlets were about to go underwater.
By around 6:00 the water under the motorhome was almost a foot deep. The campground guy had said that high tide was at 7:00. Although I'm a few miles in from the Gulf, I'm close enough to be affected by the tides. I decided that 8:30 would be decision time. I hate moving in the dark. If the water level went down between 7:00 to 8:30, I would stay. At 8:30... No change. So, I quickly packed up and got out. I'm now staying in a Walmart parking lot a few miles away. This Walmart is at extremely high elevation (about 12 feet)
I actually have leveler jacks under the motorhome to jack it up and level it. It was actually jacked up as high as it would go when I shot this.
a cake that took me two days to complete - grand marnier syrup soaked chocolate genoise sponge, chocolate mousse, orange bavarois, topped with glacage chocolat noir (dark chocolate glaze) and orange fruit seches (dried orange slices). i left out the orange macarons which were supposed 2b on the decor coz it was just too much work. this cake looks simple but its made up of 5 components, and the thing abt french pastry/cake making is that, most steps require double boiling, or baking something using very low heat for long hours. take the orange fruit seches for eg. i actually baked them for abt 2 hrs on 80 deg C, and that's not inclusive of prior soaking in sugar syrup overnight!
and the lousy wilton cake leveler didnt do a good job. it just couldnt slice the sponge cake properly. boo!
Explore #496
Lower East Side street on a winter night.
Camera: Sony a99
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We wander through streets
dusted with
the scattered remnants
of the sky's memories:
cloud debris
that cushions
the weight of hope
as we walk
with our faces turned
towards the city night's stars
that lead our way
into the melted light
of dreams.
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I have been going through my large collection of city snow photographs both for a current client and for the book that I am writing and putting together. What I love the most about snow at night is the timeless quality it imparts to the city. It's the leveler of time in some respects.
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Shot on location as part of the architectural series in Markdorf, Germany. Post-processing done in Phocus 3.5 and Capture One 20.
Camera: Hasselblad FlexBody CP + rear fall
Lens: Hasselblad CF Distagon T* 4/40 FLE
Back: Hasselblad CFV II 50c
Head: Arca-Swiss Core Leveler 75
Tripod: Gitzo GT3532LS
Filter: LEE .6 G S
I am very resilient aren't I, I just keep going. I can't boast that I can squeeze through all the holes but like a rubber ball I bounce back. I decided to go through all my pictures as I wasn't logged into my Flickr account on my other computer and thought it a good idea and wise to check if they are all properly tagged as to being being safe or not. To be honest I didn't find much which needed to be restricted but one has to be so careful as I think I am just above the line and should they find something they didn't like I wouldn't know where to start looking for the miscreant. On the whole though I was pleased as even a safe viewing captures the charms and moods of Jojo and the adult ones just put a bit of icing on the cake. I must admit I don't much care for 'smut' and I always bear in mind that what might be tasteful for me might be a bit too crude for others. Having my bus pictures on here as well is a great leveler and I like to think even with the still tasteful unrestricted pictures I have got the balance right. I deliberately keep the picture flow is mixed and yes today it's the turn to show of my long legs in that so tight rubber dress..
I finally reached the English Channel in Eastbourne.
This morning, I rented a bicycle in Canterbury for a ride in the country to the ocean front town of Whitstable, a distance of about 11Km each way. There were some age related obstacles, called hills, and on the return trip, I decided to see what it felt like to walk the hills instead of riding.
Saddle soreness also left an impression :-0 The ride was on some roads, but mostly on cycle tracks, a combination of hard and gravel surfaces.
I don't think I can really impress upon you how good it was to get back to Canterbury.
So afterwards I did a bit of female shopping, picked up the rental car, which was bigger than I expected, and drove off into the sunset. As today's travels were not on a motorway, it was slow going.
The roads here are very narrow and people park on the road totally blocking that lane, meaning both ways of traffic have to take turns to get past on the remaining lane.
I also travelled on some roads that were just one lane with a 60Mph speed limit, which meant passing was interesting.
Anyway I made it safely and was grateful that Mrs Mail was not on board as she would have been panicking.
It was late afternoon when I reached the coast town of Eastbourne, and after a bite to eat, I went for a walk on the shore front. The English haven't yet come to grips with the concept of sandy beaches. They are really rocky beaches. There was an absence of swimmers for some reason, but the late sun makes for an enticing image.
The beach is a great leveler. Old people walk together and sit and watch the relentless wavyounger ably thinking about some part of their life somewhere together or otherwise.
Young people have a herding instinct and have little time for reminiscing as life still has to be lived, and it is where to do it.
Children don't have a care in the world which is full of play, ice cream and now.
Where would we be without beaches.
The Spirit of the Age Challenge
There is another shot saying goodbye to Canterbury below.
Shot on location as part of the photowalk series.
Camera: Hasselblad FlexBody CP
Head: Arca-Swiss Core Leveler 75
Tripod: Gitzo GT3532LS
Meter: Sekonic L-508
Retouch: Capture One 20
Bag: Wotancraft Shadow Warrior
Rolleiflex 2.8F,
80mm Xenotar lens,
Fuji Acros ISO 100,
Developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 13 mins at 20C
Window light from right of subject.
The Nintendo Wii games console is the great leveler. With a game like Wii Boxing, it transform a sweet, quiet, little girl into a ruthless, super-competitive fighting machine.
Ambrogio Lorenzetti,
Allegoria del Buon Governo [1338-39]
detail personification of Concordia
Palazzo Pubblico, Siena
Two ropes start from the waistline of the two angels, which come together at the hands of Concordia, a direct follower of Justice and also seated on a chair and with a planer in her lap, a symbol of equality and "leveler" of the contrasts.